1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing rods, and more particularly, to fishing rods that are heated so as to provide both eyelet de-icing as well as handle warmth.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, many methods of improving fishing rods for use with cold weather or `ice-fishing` are known. Of these, many methods of heating the handles of fishing rods are also known. These range from wrapping heated and insulated covers external to the handle, to various methods of adding a heat source within the handle. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,567, issued in the name of Slogaski, discloses a handle warmer for fishing rods wherein an insulated cover holding a heat source is placed and secured around the handle of a conventional fishing rod in order to provide heat required to maintain the comfort of the user.
The problems associated with the Slogaski reference are similar to the difficulties encountered in other references using similar chemical or combustible heat sources within the fishing rod handle, namely ventilation and overheating. Numerous attempts have been made to correct for these problems. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,461, issued in the name of McLeod, a fishing rod with heated handle is disclosed. In the McLeod reference, a series of ventilated openings along the handle provide both combustion air as well as a temperature moderating structure when used with a combustible dry fuel heating source. By providing a cavity within the handle of a fishing rod, an invention made in accordance with the McLeod reference allows heat to be generated by a combustion or chemical reaction without the necessity of a cover-like device such as disclosed in the Slogaski reference.
A similar approach to solving the problems associated with using a combustion or chemical reaction heat source is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,835, issued in the name of Fusetti. In the Fusetti reference, a fishing rod with heated handle is disclosed which utilizes a removable combustion chamber located within the handle which contains the chemical or combustion heating means.
Methods for heating handles without the use of chemical or combustion heating means are also known in the related art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,192 issued in the name of Garret discloses an electrically heated handle for fishing rods. However, a fishing rod made in accordance with this reference is associated with several drawbacks. For example, the electrical voltage source is external to the handle of the invention. Also, a switch means is required to regulate the amount of current in order to manually control the temperature of the handle.
Other problems occur as a result of fishing in cold weather or when ice fishing. When fishing, the eyelet guides can easily pick up water. This water contacting the eyelet guides causes a problem in cold weather, and can freeze quite easily, causing the guides to be obstructed and the line to be impeded. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,953 issued in the name of Lesnock, a fishing rod with eyelet de-icing is disclosed. In the Lesnock reference, a heating element associated with at least one of the eyelet guides, particularly the tip eyelet guide, is electrically heated by an electrical power source located within the handle.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which simultaneously overcomes the multiple problems associated with cold weather ice fishing.